February 2014 Newsletter

Welcome from Yogita Naik, President, CHRLS Alumni Association

Happy New Year from the CHRLS!

As the President of the CHRLS Alumni Association, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. This is a time when we often make New Year's Resolutions, and I've got a suggestion for you: make a commitment to begin, or continue, your engagement with the MA-HRIR program at the Carlson School of Management.

Our goals at the CHRLS Alumni Association are to create a community brand for all HRIR alumni, to raise the bar in alumni engagement, and to leave behind a legacy of new initiatives that will live on, past this board year. We are all connected by the common experience we share as alums of the HRIR program, and every day at work you are truly an "Ambassador" of the program.

We are blessed with exceptional alumni who generously donate their time and talents to the program. Some of you are involved with the Alumni Association; others take part in the Mentorship Program; still more of you volunteer to review student resumes, speak in classrooms, or otherwise provide important and helpful feedback. However you do it, we are thrilled with your involvement, and greatly appreciate it. We understand that the program would not be the world-renowned one it's grown to be without your efforts. There are a number of ways to stay involved with the program that helped shape your human resources career.

I encourage you to connect, to promote, and to foster relationships among alumni, students, faculty, and the greater HR community. It is easier than ever to stay connected to the CHRLS, and your fellow alumni, through social media channels. Make sure to "like" the MA-HRIR Alumni Facebook page, join the Carlson School of Management -- HRIR LinkedIn group, and follow the MA-HRIR alumni Twitter feed. These are excellent ways to stay up-to-date on upcoming events, faculty research, student accomplishments, and what your classmates have been up to since graduation.

If you would like to contact me, please write to me directly at ynaik14@gmail.com. We are always open to new ideas. As we enter 2014, I challenge you to become engaged, and give back to the program that helped foster your HR career.

Have a Happy New Year! 
Yogita

HR Tomorrow Conference - Registration is Open!

Registration for the 35th Annual HR Tomorrow Conference, "Tools for Tomorrow: Evolving Your HR Skill Set," is now open! Join more than 300 HR professionals for this signature professional development event on Friday, April 11, 2014.

Keynote Speakers include:

  • Brian Welle, People Analytics Manager, Google
  • Ann Judge, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb

Register here, and visit the website for additional conference details.

 

Alumni Gather in New York City to Launch New Initiative

Alumni Sitting at Table in a Restaurant

At a recent gathering in New York City, MA-HRIR alumni met to network, enjoy dinner, and launch a Learning Circle, a n [u] ew initiative of the CHRLS Alumni Association's Professional Development committee. Alumni in attendance included Sandy Fiechtner, '87 MA-IR; Ken Forde, '74 MA-IR; Rob Klee, '11 MA-HRIR; Chris Kujawa, '94 MA-IR; Yogita Naik, '02 MA-HRIR; Lauren Saydah, '09 MA-HRIR; Erik Allen, '99 BSB and a member of the Carlson School's Alumni Advisory Board; and Stephen Glomb, Associate Director of the Carlson School's Graduate Business Career Center.

Pictured are, from left: Stephen Glomb, Sandy Fiechtner, Lauren Saydah, Ken Forde, Erik Allen, Yogita Naik, Chris Kujawa, and Rob Klee.

 

Alumni Engagement: Part 2!

The last issue of Centerpoint highlighted ways that our alumni stay engaged with the MA-HRIR program through philanthropy: one graduate pledges a recurring monthly gift; another co-founded and supports a Fellowship Fund; still, another kickstarted his giving tradition through participation in his Class Gift Campaign. Without these -- and many other -- supportive alumni, we couldn't continue to attract the high caliber of students that we do. Just as important to the health and vitality of our program, however, are other forms of alumni engagement that for many, are just as compelling.

 

All in the Family: New PhD Alumnus Takes Place of Retiring Alumna

Yoon's Headshot

It's not every day a PhD-IR alum from the University of Minnesota retires from her teaching job while another one takes her place.

Bereman's Headshot

But as fate would have it, Nancy Bereman, '83 PhD-IR, retired after more than 33 years of teaching at Wichita State University and David Yoon, '13 PhD-HRIR, took over as assistant professor of management in the same department last fall. 

 


 

GBCC Available for Alumni as Well as Students

Did you know that the resources of the Carlson School's Graduate Business Career Center (GBCC) are available to alumni as well as to current students? The GBCC is designed to be accessible to students and alumni at every point in their career development process.


Calling All Alumni -- Join a Learning Group!

The Professional Development Committee of the CHRLS Alumni Board is launching a new, exciting initiative -- CHRLS Learning Groups. The committee has formed two learning groups to increase networking and information-sharing among alumni. One group will be focused on HR Generalist topics and another on HR Analytics/Compensation topics. The groups will meet virtually over the lunch hour, 4-5 times per year. Please sign up to attend the Introductory CHRLS Learning Group meeting being held on Thursday, February 20 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm CST. You'll receive additional information and dial-in details later this month. Quarterly meetings of the Learning Groups are tentatively scheduled for March 13, June 12, September 11, and December 11 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. CST. For more information contact us at chrls@umn.edu.

 

Mary Zellmer-Bruhn's Headshot

Work and Organizations Associate Professor Mary Zellmer-Bruhn, in collaboration with colleagues from the College of Science and Engineering, devised a unique and challenging assignment for her Honors Contemporary Management class during fall semester. 



 

Inaugural HR Case Competition Had Global Reach

The Carlson School of Management's inaugural Carlson International Human Resources Case Competition was hosted this fall by the MA-HRIR program. Graduate HR students from around the world joined Carlson School MA-HRIR students to seek the best solution to a real-world problem pertinent to international human resources management. 

 

KiYoung Lee's Headshot

PhD Student Named Recipient of "Dare to Care Award" 

KiYoung Lee, a PhD student in the Department of Work and Organizations, has been named as the first recipient of th [sf] e Dare to Care PhD Award, a fellowship fund created by Anne Tsui, '75 MA-IR, to "assist advanced PhD students who have shown dedication to conducting research that will bring value to society, beyond providing good careers for themselves." 



 

Congratulations to several faculty members from the Department of Work and Organizations who were recognized by the Carlson School as recipients of the school's annual faculty awards: Professor Theresa Glomb and Assistant Professor Colleen Manchester are winners of the Faculty Research Award; Manchester, Associate Professor Pri Shah, and Senior Lecturer Svjetlana Madzar are winners of the Faculty Teaching Award; and Associate Professor Mary Zellmer-Bruhn is a winner of the Faculty Service Award. Congratulations!

Professor Avner Ben-Ner participated in a PBS News Hour interview in late December.

In a recent issue, the LA Times carried an op-ed piece, "How to Manage the Financial Risk of Investing in College," co-written by Assistant Professor Alan Benson. The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article highlighting Benson's research in its November 2013 issue.

Research by Professor Michelle Duffy on "The Real Costs of Keeping Toxic Employees" was featured in an Inc.com article in early December.

Investing in early childhood education can close the achievement gap later, says a study co-authored by Assistant Professor Aaron Sojourner and recently featured in the Huffington Post.

Documentary Tells Story of Who Built Our Capitol 

The Minnesota State Capitol is a handcrafted architectural gem, but the workers and contractors who actually made it have been largely forgotten. At least until now. A new documentary, Who Built Our Capitol?, has just been completed and it's a fascinating tale of the men and women involved in the construction of the Capitol from 1896-1907.

 

Russell Raczkowski's Headshot

Russell Raczkowski has joined the staff of the Labor Education Service. Previously employed at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Russell was president of his local region of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, and a leader in developing educational programming for his union. He will be teaching non-credit classes offered through LES.


 

 

'Where in the World?' Wednesdays

Each week we feature a brief alumni update on our MA-HRIR Alumni Facebook page. Recent highlights have included Tanis Altizer, Jill DeMello, Eric Johnson, Mary Ann Thomas, and Joanna Lisell. Want to be featured in one of the upcoming posts? Contact us at chrls@umn.edu.

Kristyn Aasen, '11 MA-HRIR, joined Thomson Reuters as an HR generalist
Fiona Fang, '08 MA-HRIR, is human resources manager for Hanergy Holding America, Inc.
Chuck Hill, '71 MA-IR, retired from UC Berkeley as director, International Alliances and Business Development and is now an intellectual property mediator in Nashville, TN 
Carrie Johnson, '97 MA-HRIR, recently joined U.S. Bank, working with the senior team for Compliance and Organization Risk Management
Josh Marlatt, '10 MA-HRIR, recently joined Levi Strauss & Co as a manager, global compensation

Submit a Class Note

Let your classmates know what you've been up to since graduation. Submit a class note tochrls@umn.edu for publication in an upcoming issue of Centerpoint.

HR Tomorrow Conference - Registration is Open!

Registration for the 35th Annual HR Tomorrow Conference, "Tools for Tomorrow: Evolving Your HR Skill Set," is now open! Join more than 300 HR professionals for this signature professional development event on Friday, April 11, 2014.

Keynote Speakers include:

  • Brian Welle, People Analytics Manager, Google
  • Ann Judge, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb

Register here, and visit the website for additional conference details.

 

Alumni Gather in New York City to Launch New Initiative

Alumni Sitting at Table in a Restaurant

At a recent gathering in New York City, MA-HRIR alumni met to network, enjoy dinner, and launch a Learning Circle, a n [u] ew initiative of the CHRLS Alumni Association's Professional Development committee. Alumni in attendance included Sandy Fiechtner, '87 MA-IR; Ken Forde, '74 MA-IR; Rob Klee, '11 MA-HRIR; Chris Kujawa, '94 MA-IR; Yogita Naik, '02 MA-HRIR; Lauren Saydah, '09 MA-HRIR; Erik Allen, '99 BSB and a member of the Carlson School's Alumni Advisory Board; and Stephen Glomb, Associate Director of the Carlson School's Graduate Business Career Center.

Pictured are, from left: Stephen Glomb, Sandy Fiechtner, Lauren Saydah, Ken Forde, Erik Allen, Yogita Naik, Chris Kujawa, and Rob Klee.

 

Alumni Engagement: Part 2!

The last issue of Centerpoint highlighted ways that our alumni stay engaged with the MA-HRIR program through philanthropy: one graduate pledges a recurring monthly gift; another co-founded and supports a Fellowship Fund; still, another kickstarted his giving tradition through participation in his Class Gift Campaign. Without these -- and many other -- supportive alumni, we couldn't continue to attract the high caliber of students that we do. Just as important to the health and vitality of our program, however, are other forms of alumni engagement that for many, are just as compelling.

 

All in the Family: New PhD Alumnus Takes Place of Retiring Alumna

Yoon's Headshot

It's not every day a PhD-IR alum from the University of Minnesota retires from her teaching job while another one takes her place.

Bereman's Headshot

But as fate would have it, Nancy Bereman, '83 PhD-IR, retired after more than 33 years of teaching at Wichita State University and David Yoon, '13 PhD-HRIR, took over as assistant professor of management in the same department last fall. 

 


 

GBCC Available for Alumni as Well as Students

Did you know that the resources of the Carlson School's Graduate Business Career Center (GBCC) are available to alumni as well as to current students? The GBCC is designed to be accessible to students and alumni at every point in their career development process.


Calling All Alumni -- Join a Learning Group!

The Professional Development Committee of the CHRLS Alumni Board is launching a new, exciting initiative -- CHRLS Learning Groups. The committee has formed two learning groups to increase networking and information-sharing among alumni. One group will be focused on HR Generalist topics and another on HR Analytics/Compensation topics. The groups will meet virtually over the lunch hour, 4-5 times per year. Please sign up to attend the Introductory CHRLS Learning Group meeting being held on Thursday, February 20 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm CST. You'll receive additional information and dial-in details later this month. Quarterly meetings of the Learning Groups are tentatively scheduled for March 13, June 12, September 11, and December 11 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. CST. For more information contact us at chrls@umn.edu.

 

Mary Zellmer-Bruhn's Headshot

Work and Organizations Associate Professor Mary Zellmer-Bruhn, in collaboration with colleagues from the College of Science and Engineering, devised a unique and challenging assignment for her Honors Contemporary Management class during fall semester. 



 

Inaugural HR Case Competition Had Global Reach

The Carlson School of Management's inaugural Carlson International Human Resources Case Competition was hosted this fall by the MA-HRIR program. Graduate HR students from around the world joined Carlson School MA-HRIR students to seek the best solution to a real-world problem pertinent to international human resources management. 

 

KiYoung Lee's Headshot

PhD Student Named Recipient of "Dare to Care Award" 

KiYoung Lee, a PhD student in the Department of Work and Organizations, has been named as the first recipient of th [sf] e Dare to Care PhD Award, a fellowship fund created by Anne Tsui, '75 MA-IR, to "assist advanced PhD students who have shown dedication to conducting research that will bring value to society, beyond providing good careers for themselves." 



 

Congratulations to several faculty members from the Department of Work and Organizations who were recognized by the Carlson School as recipients of the school's annual faculty awards: Professor Theresa Glomb and Assistant Professor Colleen Manchester are winners of the Faculty Research Award; Manchester, Associate Professor Pri Shah, and Senior Lecturer Svjetlana Madzar are winners of the Faculty Teaching Award; and Associate Professor Mary Zellmer-Bruhn is a winner of the Faculty Service Award. Congratulations!

Professor Avner Ben-Ner participated in a PBS News Hour interview in late December.

In a recent issue, the LA Times carried an op-ed piece, "How to Manage the Financial Risk of Investing in College," co-written by Assistant Professor Alan Benson. The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article highlighting Benson's research in its November 2013 issue.

Research by Professor Michelle Duffy on "The Real Costs of Keeping Toxic Employees" was featured in an Inc.com article in early December.

Investing in early childhood education can close the achievement gap later, says a study co-authored by Assistant Professor Aaron Sojourner and recently featured in the Huffington Post.

Documentary Tells Story of Who Built Our Capitol 

The Minnesota State Capitol is a handcrafted architectural gem, but the workers and contractors who actually made it have been largely forgotten. At least until now. A new documentary, Who Built Our Capitol?, has just been completed and it's a fascinating tale of the men and women involved in the construction of the Capitol from 1896-1907.

 

Russell Raczkowski's Headshot

Russell Raczkowski has joined the staff of the Labor Education Service. Previously employed at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Russell was president of his local region of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, and a leader in developing educational programming for his union. He will be teaching non-credit classes offered through LES.


 

 

'Where in the World?' Wednesdays

Each week we feature a brief alumni update on our MA-HRIR Alumni Facebook page. Recent highlights have included Tanis Altizer, Jill DeMello, Eric Johnson, Mary Ann Thomas, and Joanna Lisell. Want to be featured in one of the upcoming posts? Contact us at chrls@umn.edu.

Kristyn Aasen, '11 MA-HRIR, joined Thomson Reuters as an HR generalist
Fiona Fang, '08 MA-HRIR, is human resources manager for Hanergy Holding America, Inc.
Chuck Hill, '71 MA-IR, retired from UC Berkeley as director, International Alliances and Business Development and is now an intellectual property mediator in Nashville, TN 
Carrie Johnson, '97 MA-HRIR, recently joined U.S. Bank, working with the senior team for Compliance and Organization Risk Management
Josh Marlatt, '10 MA-HRIR, recently joined Levi Strauss & Co as a manager, global compensation

Submit a Class Note

Let your classmates know what you've been up to since graduation. Submit a class note tochrls@umn.edu for publication in an upcoming issue of Centerpoint.